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Report: Argument led to arrest before deadly violence

A domestic violence arrest that happened two days before a Graniteville man shot his grandson and killed himself was sparked by an argument over a bill that might have involved a pet, according to an Aiken County Sheriff’s Office incident report.

The report did not elaborate on the argument, and the sheriff’s office would not provide further information, saying the case remains under investigation.

Ronald Wayne Wilson, 67, of Whaley Pond Road, was arrested Nov. 7, after he got into an argument with his estranged wife, Anna Wilson, 63.

She told deputies the argument was about a pet; he said it was over a bill, according to the report.

Aiken County deputies had been called to the 900 block of Whaley Pond Road in Graniteville after Wilson showed up at his wife’s house, which was next door to his, with a Glock handgun. After Wilson’s wife called 911, fearing that Wilson would shoot her or someone else in the house, Wilson left, according to the report.

Deputies found Wilson sitting in a chair on his porch, and when they asked him to show his hands, Wilson became beligerent and refused to do so, according to the report.

Wilson, who smelled “strongly of alcohol as well as having slurred speech,” admitted that he entered his wife’s home with a handgun and added that it is “a regular occurrence.”

Wilson was then arrested for first-offense criminal domestic violence and taken to the Aiken County Detention Center without incident. Deputies couldn’t find Wilson’s handgun at the scene.

“The deputy that responded to the scene did a complete and thorough investigation that he believed warranted an arrest,” said Aiken County sheriff’s Capt. Eric Abdullah. “A bond hearing was scheduled the following day and the suspect met the needs of the bond.”

After being released, Wilson returned to his estranged wife’s house and shot his grandson, then himself.

Aiken County Solicitor Strom Thurmond Jr. said Wilson’s bond of $2,505 was set in magistrate court. The judge of the magistrate court considers previous criminal records and statements from victims before setting a bond, he said.

The only blemish on Wilson’s records were misdemeanor simple battery charges in 2000 and 2001.

“This doesn’t seem to be the revolving door type of case,” Thurmond said.